George Carlin... It's Bad for Ya!

This was George Carlin's last show and he'll be missed. Maybe not to everyone but to me he will, as to many others that liked his satirical view on society. On his view on religions I couldn't agree more with him, on the need to procreate as much as possible and so put our planet in danger by overpopulation I couldn't agree more with him, on how the whole system is working as they want to control everything you do, as they want you to consume as much as possible I couldn't agree more with him. I'm pretty sure he didn't like humans much as they are the parasites of this planet, and if you think about it you got to say he's right. George Carlin, the satirical comedian that said it raw, that will question anything, he'll be missed.

It might be a stretch saying this as a die-hard Carlin fan, but the material, both written and as performed, in It's Bad for Ya is some of the best late-era material yet. At 70 Carlin bounces back from the level of despair (and some of the stumbles in the act itself) from Life is Worth Losing to a special that is firmly structured but loose and playful- or as much as the "old f***" can get- and is continuously, ceaselessly, funny. And funny as in reminiscent of what some of us had going on when watching Back in Town or 'Diseased' the first time. The material, even if sounding at times a tinge of the previously done (i.e. the whole bit on children in school and camp like the Children segment in Diseased), is always fresh and with such a sting of truth to everything that it scalds the mind while (here goes) tickling the funny bone.

Going from the topic of death (how long to wait to scratch off a name from the book? six weeks, unless if on the computer scheduler), the facets of communication, looking down from Heaven, spots of God (naturally), kids, and just troublesome gestures involving hats in religion and if people really have "Rights" make up the bulk of the special, centered around the premise that what's bad for you, plain and simple, is BS. Total, complete BS, which as we also learn (or if you've really learned it you're like the kid waiting at the street corner for a week following dropped off not-quite randomly by the parent) holds the country together. Carlin isn't necessarily angry though, even if disdain seems to spout out at most turns, even just to observe how horrifying children's teeth coming in look. It's skepticism tinged with the feeling that everything is NOT going to be "fine".

What it comes down to is this: Carlin is to dirty, witty, cautionary stand-up comedy what Yoda is to Jedis everywhere, which is a small spark of hope via crystal clear wisdom in a world where it's pretty damn hard to get any. At the least, we get classic GC - outrageous lines and bits from the man's 13th (or is it 14th) comedy special, including as far as an eyebrow-raising observation on people who play Mozart music during a birth!

Very good special

The old man comedy part of the show was good very funny jokes, very "old man yells at cloud" jokes but i think it was meant to be like that. Bit more light hearted.

Then the God part of the special was a good reality check but to me i know so few amount of people around me that believes in god (I'm not american) that i found it a little bit less relatable but i'm pretty sure in 2008 that was very of it's time in the US.

Didn't felt like as much punch to the face like the last special. I'm a sucker for misanthropic humor. But he's the greatest so it's still miles ahead of what everybody is doing still to this day.

Mr. Carlin left our common forum in June of 2008, shortly after going to the hospital for pains in the chest (he had a history of heart trouble). The media, and comics everywhere covered the loss more than I or he would have EVER expected ... but, he was the Grandfather of observational comedy.

THIS recording was his last production and contains a large section dedicated to the topic of death and the prospects of life thereafter. Filming of the project occurred shortly after his seventieth birthday, which he was happy to have attained (observed?). I have followed Carlin's career from the days of fuzzy black and white television, and enjoyed his topical record albums.

It is a privilege for ANY Carlin fan to at least see (if not own a copy) of this particular show. He was still fast moving, and with great timing, even at 70! As he would say,,, he is NOT "smiling down from Heaven on you". If he's doing anything at all it's not taking harp lessons; perhaps he's looking up!!!

Same old tired worn out routine. The words, the rhymes, all done better before. All that's left is a mean nasty little guy without a funny bone in his body. Just an angry little man, on a last cash grab from his diehard fans. Time to rest in pieces, Gramps. Your funny moments are over.